The Kirkus Prize is one of the richest literary awards in the world, with a prize of $50,000 bestowed annually to authors of fiction, nonfiction and young readers’ literature. It was created to celebrate the 81 years of discerning, thoughtful criticism Kirkus Reviews has contributed to both the publishing industry and readers at large. Books that earned the Kirkus Star with publication dates between November 1, 2014, and October 31, 2015, are automatically nominated for the 2015 Kirkus Prize, and the winners will be selected on October 23, 2015, by an esteemed panel composed of nationally respected writers and highly regarded booksellers, librarians and Kirkus critics.

KIRKUS REVIEW

Scruffy the cat and Mocha the dog are interested and sometimes involved onlookers as Aden, Leah and their parents prepare and then tend their pumpkin patch with an eye toward Halloween festivities. They “help” dig, and then they work to keep the rabbits from eating the plants. But all is not well: There are far too few pumpkins. What’s happened? Surprisingly, it’s Louie the rabbit who clues in the family pets and helps them save Halloween—after making a deal, of course. This early reader does a lot: Readers will encounter cleverly planted homophones and a fair amount of gardening know-how in addition to the engaging characters and a genuinely perplexing mystery. Björkman’s line-and-watercolor cartoons ably assist in the character development and contribute to the book’s lighthearted feel. Here’s hoping for more of Scruffy and Mocha. (Early reader. 6-9)

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